Chapter Five
The sound of an approaching horse drew Melanie and Shane quickly apart. Torn with feelings, Melanie's heart was thundering wildly. She was stunned by Shane's kiss and her reaction to it. But she did not have much time to wonder about it, for suddenly her brother was there on horseback, staring in dismay down at her, and then at Shane.
Melanie paled and blinked nervously up at Terrance. Caught in the aftermath of passion, she wondered how she could possibly explain Shane's presence there. She should have just left long ago. There would have been nothing at all to explain.
But if she had left, she would have been denied the rapture of Shane's kiss. Anything was worth that marvelous moment of blissexcept seeing
Shane put in the position that he was now incaught offguard by Melanie's brother.
Fire was in Shane's eyes, and his jaw was set. She tensed when he glanced down at his knife, perhaps feeling naked without it in a time of threat.
"What the hell's going on here?" Terrance asked, leaning his full weight on the pommel of his saddle. "I saw the campfire from the stable. I had to check it out. God, Melanie, why are you here?" He smoothed his hat back from his brow and eyed Shane even more closely. "Who is he? What are you doing wi
th him?"
Feeling the need to protect Shane from Terrance's questioning stare, Melanie stepped in front of him. She held her chin stubbornly high, yet did not know what to say. Would Shane want Terrance to know who he was? Or did he prefer his father to be the first to know that he had returned? It was apparent that Shane had wanted more time before approaching his family, for he had chosen to spend the night before a campfire instead of in his father's house.
"I also saw the campfire," Melanie said, trying to force her voice to remain smooth and even. "Since you were gone, I saw no choice but to see who had built it. I have found that this man is no threat to us. He means us no harm. He just needed to rest the night before going on his way. We can go back home now, Terrance."
Her brother dismounted and went to Melanie and lifted her bodily from in front of Shane. He then took a closer look at Shane, the glow of the campfire golden on his face. "If I hadn't left Josh just moments ago, I'd swear you were him," he said, kneading his chin contemplatingly. "Who are you?" His gaze raked over Shane, then again looked him square in the eye. "Who in the hell are you?"
Melanie stood by, helpless. She placed her hands to her throat, wondering just how long Shane would let Terrance question him in such a way. She could see anger flaring in his eyes.
"You say I resemble Josh?" Shane said suddenly, his voice void of feeling. "That is because we are brothers."
Terrance gasped. He looked to Melanie, then back to Shane. "You're Josh's brother?" he said, his voice drawn. "That's impossible. Everyone knows he's dead. It's been too long, too many years. You can't be Shane." He toyed nervously with his thin mustache and let his gaze take in every feature of Shane's face, unable to deny how much he resembled Josh. "YetGod, you are Josh's double! There's no denying that."
Melanie moved to her brother's side and touched his arm gently. "No, he's not Josh's double," she murmured. "He's Josh's brother. His twin. This is Shane. Shane Brennan."
Dumbfounded by the discovery, Terrance was at a loss for words. It was as though Shane had returned from the dead.
"Well?" Melanie said, taking a step closer to her brother. "Don't you have anything to say? Don't you think it's wonderful that Shane is all right? Everyone gave up on his being alive long ago."
Terrance smiled an awkward, lopsided smile. "Yes, so they had." He looked past Melanie, at Shane. "I guess a welcome is in order," he said, forcing himself to offer a handshake. "I'm glad you're safe, Shane. Welcome back."
Shane hesitated, recognizing when a man spoke with a forked tongue. This man, Melanie's brother, was anything but happy that he was alive. Shane could understand why he would disrupt his own family's lives. But how could he matter to Terrance's?
Shane glanced at Melanie. Yes, it was because of her. Did not all brothers love and protect their sisters? Had he not always protected Cedar Maid?
Lifting a hand and solidly clasping his fingers around Terrance's proffered hand, Shane returned the handshake of friendship. "It is good of you to welcome me back," he said, smiling stiffly.
Terrance felt the solid steel grip of Shane's hand, painful in its intensity. He looked into his eyes, seeing a distant coldness. Both caused a strange sort of fear to ripple through him. He wanted to ask Shane so many questions, but something held him back. He felt suddenly uncomfortable beneath Shane's steady stare. It was as though he were able to look clear through him, reading his every thought.
What sort of man had Shane become? Where had he been all these years? Why had he returned now? Had he heard that his father was dying? Had he returned just for his piece of the pie?
Relieved when Shane released his hand, Terrance slipped an arm around Melanie's waist. ''It's time to go home," he said, giving Shane a guarded look over her shoulder. "Damn it, Melanie, you shouldn't be here in the first place. Don't you know the dangers of leaving the farm unescorted this time of night? You could've been raped and murdered!"
Melanie stepped away from him and went to Shane. "My brother is right, you know," she murmured. "I did take risks coming here. But, oh, Shane, I'm so glad that I did." She ignored her brother's gaping stare and took Shane's hands, holding them tenderly.
It was hard for her to understand her sudden attraction to this man and his sensual effect on her. But she could not deny it. Even now she wanted to ease into his arms and hug him. Her lips burned for his kiss.
"You will return tomorrow?" Shane asked, his insides melting as she looked up at him with such adoring, trusting eyes.
"Will you still be here?" Melanie asked, her eyes questioning. "You don't plan to go to your father tonight?"
Again she wondered if she should tell Shane about his father's weakened condition. She knew that Shane needed more time to sort things out inside his head. She did not need to complicate things any more than they already were by telling him that his father was dying.
If only Jared would last another night! He must! He had clung to life this long with hope in his heart that he might see his long-lost sonsurely